Exploring MUSICAL influences on social BEhaviour usING a comparative approach in children, non-human primates and birdS – MUSICALBEINGS

We plan to perform three experiments in a comparative way in each species. The first one will consist in comparing the influence of listening to music, or listening to a control noise, or doing other pleasant activities on social interactions, sharing and cooperation. This experiment will also allow to compare the effects of music on social behaviour among species in order to test whether these effects may be stronger in species with higher vocal learning abilities. The second experiment will consist in comparing the effects of listening to music together or separately on social interactions. Finally, the third one will allow comparing the influence of listening or producing to music. In addition, for each experiment, we will measure interpersonal synchrony during listening or producing music in order to investigate its role as a potential underlying proximate mecanism in the relation between music and behaviour.

Pending

This study may encourage and give guidelines for implementing music as a tool to help maintaining a positive and collaborative climate for learning at school. Moreover, by investigating the relation between listening to music and social interactions in birds and non-human primates, we hope to pave the way for developing the use of music (e.g. playing back music, or using simple musical instruments for enrichment) to improve welfare in captive animals as well.

Pending

Music is an ancestral art and exists in all human cultures. Some authors have suggested that musical abilities may have spread in humans as an evolutionary adaptation promoting group cohesion. Our preliminary results support this hypothesis, as we found that listening to music promotes social interactions both in preschool children and in a bird species, cockatiels. Here, we will further explore the phylogenetic roots of musicality by comparing the influence of music on social interactions in humans, birds, and non-human primates. Then, we will investigate the circumstances under which music influences social interactions (differential effects of listening to music together or separately and of listening or producing music, role of interpersonal synchrony). By tackling these issues, we also hope to foster new ways of using music to maintain a positive climate for learning in school, as well as to promote welfare in captive animals.